Family petitions IGP over murder of UNIJOS lecturer

The family of Nandi Kennedy Drenkat, a lecturer at the University of Jos, has raised questions on the investigation by the Plateau state police command into the circumstances of his death.

The late Drenkat was killed on May 16 in his home at the University of Jos senior staff quarters, in the presence of his family, while his seven-year-old daughter, Johanan, was kidnapped.

In a petition to Mohammed Adamu, the inspector-general of police, which was signed by Sesugh Akume, the family said the daughter of the deceased who was later rescued claimed the killers told her they would come back to kill her mother.

The family appealed to the IGP to use his office to find the sponsors of the murder, as well as their motive, and bring them to justice.

“I wish to thank the Nigeria Police Force for rescuing her (Johanan Elyon Drenkat), and for the kind treatment given her when she was gotten. She reports that the police gave her food to eat, having not eaten all day, and also treated her nicely. The mobile phone was also returned. This is commendable and [we] urge the police to continue in this manner,” it read.

“I, however, saw the official press release by the Plateau State Command of the Nigeria Police Force which leaves numerous important unanswered questions.

“According to its heading, the killers (plural) of Dr Drenkat were apprehended, but the body of the press release identified only one of the killers. Was it more that one only one killer caught, or the plural was a typographical error?

“This said killer, according to the release, was caught in an earlier attempt at the rescue of the child, which resulted in the rescue of another individual. But nothing is said about how the killers were overpowered and the child rescued. Could there be other killers shot in the process of retrieving the child? Because none of this reflects in the official communication.

“There is a lockdown and curfew in Jos, with movement restricted, with police and other checkpoints all over Jos. How then was it possible for the killers to move freely, murder an individual and kidnap a child under such conditions?

“The official release says the police got the distress call at about 0030 hours, but responded at about 0530 hours. What might have been responsible for the 5-hour lag in the response?”

Akume alleged that the incident was not an abduction gone wrong, but an assassination.

“I am also gravely concerned the official release only speaks about a manhunt to arrest the fleeing hoodlums. I wish to respectfully submit that this was NOT a kidnap gone bad which resulted in the murder of Dr Drenkat. It was indeed a premeditated assassination. The attack was in one specific house in an entire quarters. The killers first murdered the deceased unprovoked, before demanding for money, [and] not having same, kidnapped the child, and took away the wife’s mobile telephone,” he said.

“I wish to request that further to getting the other killers, the Nigeria Police Force under your command would do well to find the sponsors of the murder, as well as their motive, and bring them to justice.

“I also wish to formally register that my niece, the rescued victim, has said the killers told her more than once that they were returning to kill her mother also, that this was only the first step.

“I respectfully submit that until and unless all the killers, along with the sponsors, are apprehended and the motive known, as well as all the questions arising from the official communication of the Plateau State Command official press release as cited above are addressed, with all offenders brought to justice and corrections made, there will never be closure on this matter.

“I wish to appeal to you, as the Inspector-General of Police, to use your good offices to dig into this matter to its roots, if not for the sake of your oath, and for the protection of the sanctity and dignity of human life, but for the sake of this widow and her young children whose father was murdered in his home before their eyes.

“The agony and trauma will last as long as they live. Life itself will never be the same again for them, but the pain can be reduced if/when there is closure. Please do it for them, and do not let this matter fizzle out with time, more so as there is a credible threat of a repeat attack on the mother of the little children.”